Hostages
by Aranel of Athena
Summary: Schools out for summer and everyone is ready for fun, but when three of the new recruits are kidnapped and placed under threaten of torture, the X-Men are instructed to steal a powerful object from another powerful hero. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

The Mansion sat peacefully, its only occupants being, the Professor, Storm, and Doctor McCoy. Logan was picking up some of the students from their last day of school. Others were catching a ride with Scott. The peace didn't last long. The fancy, open roof car appeared first. Behind, an old battered black van followed.

The moment both vehicles stopped, students of all ages threw themselves out with excited cries.

"Oh Yeah, no School!" Cheered Bobby. He turned to Kurt and they high fived. Someone high jacked Scott's car speakers, and started playing, 'Schools out'. Within moments, an impromptu dance party had started.

After about three songs, the dancing died down. Instead, people began talking and heading into the mansion. Bobby and Amara slipped away without anyone noticing.

Jamie hadn't really joined in the dancing. If someone crashed into him or he tripped, he would have to deal with about six multiples. While he wasn't broken up about it, it added another small thing to a pile of things that had been piling for a long time.

When the dancing broke up, he saw Bobby and Amara leave. And of course he thought it would be fun to follow. Jamie trailed them through the trees to were one could get a good view of the sea. The two teens stood looking out at the water. Jamie crouched down in the bushes.

Amara glanced at Bobby,

"So are you visiting your parents at all this summer?" She asked awkwardly. He shrugged.

"I don't know. What about you?" Amara smiled bitterly,

"I doubt they would want a girl with my kind of powers hanging around their house." Bobby nodded. After a moment Amara asked,

"So are you fighting with Jubilee? You two haven't spoken in a week." She tried to sound casual, but failed. Bobby answered readily enough though.

"Yeah, we had an argument. Why?"

"No reason." Amara said quickly in a tone that showed she cared but didn't want to show it. Bobby however didn't notice.

Jamie winced. Sometimes the older kids were so obtuse it was untrue. He was so focused on Bobby and Amara that he didn't notice that someone was behind him until it was too late. A hand went over his mouth and someone sprayed something up his nose. Jamie thrashed, but not hard enough to summon a duplicate. He heard Amara shout and Bobby yell. Black spots danced in Jamie's vison. As he passed out, he mentally shouted, _PROFESSOR!_ And that was the last thing he thought.

Professor X couldn't help but smile at the sounds coming from all over the mansion. The sound of children having fun was such a good sound. Xavier made a mental note to ask Logan to give them a few days of before they started summer training.

Roberto came running by, pursued by an angry wolf.

"HELP!" shrieked Roberto in panic. Rahne howled. Roberto fled.

Xavier chuckled and shook his head. He started to wheel his way toward Cerebro. He wanted to check for any new mutants. On the way he ran into Scott and Jean, saved Ray from being reduced to fried bits, courtesy of Jubilee.

Eventually he met Ororo and Logan. He smiled, about to greet them when a panicked thought flash across his mind, _PROFESSOR! _He clutched his temples in surprise. _Jamie, is that you? What's wrong? _Silence.

He immediately started again for Cerebro.

"Charles?" asked Ororo.

"Something has happened Storm. I am going to check Cerebro." Ororo and Logan followed to the room which housed the computer. The Professor placed the helmet on his head and did an amplified search of the area. Not only couldn't he find Jamie, but Amara and Bobby weren't showing up either. He reached up to remove the helmet, when he saw what looked like a video call pop on the screen.

"Interesting, I didn't think anyone knew how to send messages to Cerebro." He pulled it up as a projection in front of all of them. It flickered slightly. Then a face appeared.

He had short blond hair with tinge of grey. His face appeared to be in a permanent state of self-satisfaction.

Wolverine took one look and immediately pictured wiping the smug look of his face using methods that are best not described.

The Professor nodded to the image.

"Hello, I am Professor Xavier. Who are you and how are you able to send this message?" The Man smiled and answered in a soft calm voice,

"Greetings Professor X. I'm sorry I cannot answer either of your questions. However, I can tell you why I am calling."

Logan growled,

"You'll tell the Professor what he wants to know, Bub." The man shook his head pityingly.

"You are in no position to instruct me on what to do." Xavier interrupted before Logan got going,

"Why are you calling then?" The strange man smiled,

"I want your X-Men to do a job for me."

Logan huffed,

"And what gives you the bright idea that they are gonna do anything for you?"

The man burst out cackling. It sounded like a crow dying. When he recovered he answered silkily,

"They will do as I say, and so will you. You will have to because I have three of your precious students."

Throughout the conversation the Professor had been getting a sinking feeling. At the caller's words, his fears were confirmed. The man stepped back to reveal the three missing kids. Bobby, Amara, and Jamie were shackled by their wrists to the wall behind. Their feet were about twelve inches from the floor. All three were unconscious.

Storm gasped.

The man chuckled again and stepped towards them.

"It would be a shame if something happened to such young people." He reached out and gently stroked Amara's cheek. Logan bristled.

The Professor frowned at the man,

"What do you want us to do?"

"I want you steal the Andvaranaut."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone! Thank to everyone who reviewed. I've tried not to rush this chapter. Any tips and advised would be great! **

There was silence. The Professor had to make a choice. This man evidently was not to be trusted. Therefore, he must not be allowed to have the Andvaranaut. But if the X-Men didn't steal the Artifact, The three students would suffer the consequences.

Their best bet would be to buy themselves some time. Then maybe while the man was talking, he could trace the message with Cerebro. He put his finger tips together, frowned, and then declared,

"The X-Men do not steal." The other man smiled sweetly. He slid out a small blade with a curved tip.

"I knew you morals were great, but do they outweigh your care for these children?" He lent closure speaking in a whisper, "You just may have to find it in you Professor." He backed away and stepped over towards Jamie, smiling warmly. "But if you decide you cannot do as I have said, then I will be happy to play with these three until you change your mind." He placed the tip of the knife at the side of Jamie's face, eyebrow level.

Ororo stepped forward, appalled.

Don't touch him!" She snarled. Wolverine moved forward as well, his face twisted into a mask of anger. He was as fond of the kids as the others.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Bub." The man shook his head and sighed. Then he addressed Logan as if speaking to a lesser creature,

"You don't seem to grasp it do you? Allow me to explain the situation to you. I have three of your students. I am ordering you to do something for me to get them back. They are unable to use their powers because I have inhibited them. Despite their youth, I am not above torturing them to the limit. So if I were you, I would do as I say."

He turned back to Jamie and pressed the tip allowing it to draw blood. Then, with deliberate slowness, he slid the blade down the boy's face stopping just above the jaw. A thin trail of blood ran now.

Logan's claws slid out of his hands.

"You son of a –," the Professor interrupted him.

"Logan stop. You'll only make the situation worse." The children's captor cackled,

"That's right; you wouldn't want to offend me would you?" He petted Amara's head gently, "Well Professor, we don't have all day, what is your decision?"

Xavier had been quiet for the most part while he had been using Cerebro to try to trace the video. Nothing had come up. It was as though the video was coming from nowhere. That could be the answer. It was time to try plan B. He put on an innocent expression,

"I'm sorry, but I will have to speak to the other X-Men. They won't do anything without knowing. Anything they do is of their own free will. If they feel like doing as you have said I will let you know."

The man's face contorted slightly and Xavier feared for a second he had gone too far. However, the man nodded thoughtfully. Finally he said,

"Very well professor, I will give you thirty minutes. I will call again. I hope by then you will be ready to comply."

The message ended. Logan swore vehemently. Storms eyes glowed blue. Both were ready to take action.

"Well Chuck, did you find him?" Logan asked hopefully. Xavier shook his head sadly.

"I couldn't trace it." Storm clenched her fists,

"What do we do now?" Xavier removed the helmet.

"We tell the others." He answered. Wolverine smiled bitterly,

"They won't be too happy." He observed.

"No. They will be devastated." Corrected Storm.

"Yes they will." The professor agreed as he began to roll his way from the room. "Logan," he began as the other two followed him out, "I want you to go hunt around the grounds. See if you can find were the abduction took place, and what you can find there." Logan nodded and hurried ahead. Xavier glanced at Storm, "Ororo, please check the security systems. I am curious to know how they got past our defensives so easily." Ororo turned and headed the other way, towards the security station.

Xavier now sent a message to all the students and Hank, _All of you; I want you to meet me in the living room immediately. _Then he started towards the living room himself.

As it turned out, many of the students were actually in the living room already. Other students trickled in from elsewhere, all feeling confused.

Sam Guthrie caused momentary chaos when he cannonballed through the door. Students scattered. Sam missed Rogue by a hairsbreadth. Instead, he crashed into Kurt. Both skidded through Kitty and squashed Roberto.

"Dude you need to get zhat under control." Kurt groaned from under Sam. Cannonball rubbed his head and grinned ruefully.

"I know, sorry." He answered apologetically. Kurt grinned back,

"It's ok. At least you didn't crash into Rogue." Sam shuddered. Not only didn't contact with Rogue end badly, but the wrath of the Rogue was no laughing matter.

From beneath the both of them, Roberto squawked indignantly,

"If you guys could get off that would be great." Rahne laughed as Sam and Kurt rolled off Roberto. She turned to look over her shoulder to where Jamie usually stood behind. She came eye to eye with Berserker instead.

Rahne frowned slightly. Jamie was like a second shadow. He was almost always near her. She didn't time to ponder though, because at that moment the Professor and Doctor McCoy entered the room. A hush spread through the students. They crammed together to hear what the teacher had to say.

Xavier drew himself up in his chair,

"Thank you for coming everyone. I'm afraid I have some unfortunate news for you."

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I will try to update more often, but I a very busy and I have several other story ideas. Please review and tell me what you liked and what you didn't. **


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